--- title: 3.1.K.A description: 3.1.K.A Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png --- [![Teacher Login](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b) [Teacher Login](https://app.knowatom.com/signin) [![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo")](https://www.knowatom.com/) # 3.1.K.A Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive. [![Download a Sample Unit](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6) Science & Engineering Practices - [Developing and using models](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-and-using-models) - [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations) - [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions) - [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence) - [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information) Disciplinary Core Ideas - [Weather and Climate](https://www.knowatom.com/weather-and-climate) - [Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer](https://www.knowatom.com/conservation-of-energy-and-energy-transfer) Crosscutting Concepts - [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns) - [Cause and Effect](https://www.knowatom.com/cause-and-effect) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f) ## Browse 3.1.K.A Lesson Plans Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8 [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Living-and-Nonliving-Things.jpg) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/living-and-nonliving-things) ## [Living and Nonliving Things In this unit, students discover living things, beginning with an investigation into the differences between living and nonliving things. Students then explore how water helps plants grow and develop the structures they need to survive.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/living-and-nonliving-things) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/living-and-nonliving-things) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Parent-and-Offspring-Behaviors-2.jpg) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/parent-and-offspring-behaviors) ## [Parent and Offspring Behaviors In the last unit, students analyzed how engineers can mimic plant and animal structures to solve problems facing people. In this unit, students begin by exploring animal behaviors of parents and offspring that help the offspring survive.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/parent-and-offspring-behaviors) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/parent-and-offspring-behaviors) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-Oct-07-2023-10-34-47-2249-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/habitats) ## [Habitats In the last unit, students explored patterns in land and water on Earth. They build on that knowledge in this unit with a focus on how living things are found in different habitats around the planet, and how living things depend on both living and nonliving components of their environment for survival.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/habitats) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/habitats) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image1-4.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/how-plants-grow) ## [How Plants Grow In the last unit, students explored how living things are found in different habitats around the planet and depend on both living and nonliving parts of their environment for survival. In this unit, students focus on plants. They begin with an experiment that investigates the science phenomena of how light and water help plants grow from a seed into an adult plant, and then focus on the function of flowers, which produce seeds.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/how-plants-grow) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/how-plants-grow) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-07-2023-10-43-09-6276-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/flowers) ## [Flowers In this unit, students explore how plants have different parts that help them get what they need to survive from the environment. They begin with experiments that investigate the cause-and-effect relationship between water, light, and the ability of plants to grow. This page is a high-level extract of the second lesson in which students explore flowers. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/flowers) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/flowers) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image1-Oct-07-2023-11-01-46-6039-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/engineering-owl-shelters) ## [Engineering Owl Shelters In the last unit, students observed butterflies moving through their life cycle, explored how butterflies are pollinators, and then designed a hand pollinator. In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of how shelters help animals survive in their environment and then design a prototype burrow-like structure to keep a burrowing owl cool in hot temperatures.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/engineering-owl-shelters) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/engineering-owl-shelters) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/characteristics-of-living-things) ## [Characteristics of Living Things In the second unit of Kindergarten, students explore life on Earth. They begin by exploring what makes something a living thing, and then investigate what plants and animals need to survive. To begin their study of life science, students make observations and construct explanations about those observations to explore the characteristics that all living things have in common. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/characteristics-of-living-things) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/characteristics-of-living-things) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-nonliving-once-living) ## [Living, Nonliving, and Once-Living In Unit 2 of Kindergarten, students explore characteristics of living things and investigate what plants and animals need to survive. They will also discover plant and animal life cycles, and learn about habitats. This page is a high-level extract from lesson two, where students use patterns of shared characteristics to help them sort photos of different things into groups according to whether they are living, once-living, or nonliving.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-nonliving-once-living) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-nonliving-once-living) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/parts-of-plants) ## [Parts of Plants During this second unit of Kindergarten, students explore the differences between living and nonliving things and discover what living things need to survive. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/parts-of-plants) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/parts-of-plants) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/germinating-seeds) ## [Germinating Seeds In this Life Science unit, Kindergartners explore plants and what they need to live and grow. This page is a high-level extract of lesson four in which students make models of adult sunflower plants to explore how plants have different parts that help them get what they need to grow.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/germinating-seeds) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/germinating-seeds) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/growing-plants) ## [Growing Plants In the second unit of Kindergarten, students explore living things and discover what plants and animals need to survive. This page provides a snapshot of lesson five which has students conducting a class experiment with bean plants to observe what they need to live and grow.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/growing-plants) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/growing-plants) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/animal-habitats) ## [Animal Habitats In this Life Science unit, students explore living things and discover what plants and animals need to survive and thrive. During this portion of the unit, the focus shifts from plants to animals as students begin to explore animal habitats. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/animal-habitats) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/animal-habitats) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-things-in-their-habitat) ## [Living Things in Their Habitat In this unit, students are introduced to living things on Earth. They begin by exploring the differences between living and nonliving things and then investigate what plants and animals need to survive by watching bean plants grow and observing a cricket in its habitat. They then create a model to show how living things depend on other living things and their environment to survive, and can change their environment to help them get what they need.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-things-in-their-habitat) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/living-things-in-their-habitat) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-2.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/human-shelter) ## [Human Shelter In this unit, students are introduced to living things on Earth. They begin by exploring the differences between living and nonliving things and then investigate what plants and animals need to survive in their habitats. Now students take their understanding of animal habitats to then apply their understanding of the topic to consider how human shelter varies depending on where we live.  ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/human-shelter) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/kindergarten-science/human-shelter) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/insect-anatomy-structure-and-function.jpg) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/insect-anatomy-structure-and-function) ## [Insect Anatomy - Structure and Function In this unit, students focus on animals, analyzing how animals’ body parts help them survive and grow. This page is a high-level extract of the first lesson of the unit in which students build insect models to investigate the science phenomena of an insect’s body parts’ structure and function. Students observe how ants use their body parts to get what they need to survive. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/insect-anatomy-structure-and-function) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/1st-grade-science/insect-anatomy-structure-and-function) Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 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